1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a spacer for lenses and a photographing apparatus including the spacer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photographing apparatuses (e.g., cameras) are used to take pictures or capture images of subjects such as people, objects, or landscapes. In photographing apparatuses, image data obtained from light incident on an imaging device may be stored as image files in a storage medium or may be displayed as images on a display unit.
Such photographing apparatuses may include a lens barrel in which a plurality of lenses is included for photographing subjects. Lens spacers may be disposed between the lenses so as to maintain gaps between the lenses.
Different materials or formation methods may be used to manufacture lens spacers according to the gaps between the lenses. For example, block-type lens spacers including a metal or hard material and manufactured through a machining process such as a cutting process may be used to separate lenses by a relatively long distance from each other. On the other hand, film-type lens spacers having a thin film or sheet shape, which may be manufactured through a press forming process, may be used to separate lenses a relatively short distance from each other.
Block-type lens spacers disposed between lenses hardly vary in shape and make line contact with the lenses. On the other hand, film-type lens spacers disposed between lenses are bent according to the shapes of the lenses and make surface contact with the lenses.
Film-type lens spacers may have a flat shape for convenience in manufacturing. However, when a lens spacer having a flat shape is bent while being brought into contact with lenses having a curved shape, the lens spacer may become wrinkled or otherwise bent due to the difference in the shapes of the lens spacer and the lenses. In this case, the distance between the lenses may not be uniformly maintained.
Nothing contained herein is to be construed as an “admission” of prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to demonstrate, where appropriate, that the articles and methods referenced herein do not constitute prior art under the applicable statutory provisions.